7 Important Bible Verses About the Second Coming

Acts 1:10-11

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Acts 1:10-11

“While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven.’”

This early verse in Acts has often been interpreted as describing the literal method of how Christ returns to earth. Those who agree with such readings take the words of the angels to mean that Jesus will return just as he left and descend from heaven in a cloud. This argument is supported by similar descriptions of Christ’s second coming in other books of the Bible. Another interpretation, however, is that the words of the angels are an admonishment, not a confirmation of how Christ will return.

This latter interpretation relies largely on the early Greek versions of the Bible. In this interpretation, the angels are telling the apostles not to simply stand around waiting for Christ to return. The angels call the disciples to act on their faith, instead of staring at heaven. That He will come again is a reminder to the apostles that they were not alone in their hostile world. Jesus was with them, even though He had returned to heaven.